Recently I helped a client with a kitchen refit. The only thing I hate doing more than kitchens, is doing bathrooms. Not because I hate bathrooms or kitchens. What I hate is the client's expectations. These are the two areas where background, or rather the lack of it, can really show itself. I prefer not to have my suspicions so blatantly confirmed. But, that is a whole different story. While selecting the appliances, I commented on the fact that the oven did not have a plate warmer. The salesman, who was extending a very generous discount in the hope I would change suppliers, said "that is very old fashioned". I telegraphed my disapproval with a look. Ah, the look, both a blessing and a curse. Yet again, that is a different story. Needless to say that kitchen has an oven with a plate warmer.
Why I bring this up is because a friend was recounting a luncheon he attended at the House of Lords. Now this is probably old fashioned, but one would imagine the standard there to be nothing less than exacting . Everything was wonderful, except for the fact the main course of hot roast beef was served on an ice cold plate. This is what happens when one gets rid of the hereditary Peerage; standards slip. The centre of the plate should be hot while the edge should still be able to be handled. This is not old fashioned, it is just plain common sense. Just as one would not expect a cold dish to be served on a warm plate.
Electric plate warmer, in the event your oven does not have one.
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Sunday, 18 November 2007
Standards, don't let them slip
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6 comments:
Yes, I agree- isn't this a basic lesson in Entertaining 101? I think Elsie de Wolfe once said that cold things should be served iced cold and hot things should be piping hot (with a thoroughly warmed plate).
BTW- I recently read where Bunny Williams does not like to do kitchen renovations. She said she brings in an expert.
I just hate all the unnecessary crap people expect in these purely functional rooms. It is all just too dreary.
We went through the house that my mother grew up in, and it had a plate warmer built into one of the radiators in the dining room. very cool, and this dated from the early 1900's.
Fairfax - I love all those quirky bits of older houses and how they give insight into the lives of those who lived there.
Does this apply to paper plates? I feel like such a tacky American! Martha Stewart would be ashamed of me.
Jackie von T - Haaaaaahaaaa! If that isn't the cutest question, I don't know what is.
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